Ramblings of a Grad Student

Sunburnt on my first trip to the beach? Nothing new. The backs of my hands peeling? Yep, that's new. Not that I'm surprised. Lotion on the backs of one's hands is kinda difficult. Especially when washing hands is kinda necessary. Should've tried harder, oops. Other than that, Mobile was good. Watching fireworks by the bay and then setting off lots in the front yard, yay for a state where that's legal. Also, got some personal grooming done. My eyebrows were atrocious and I needed my hair cut and dyed. My hair is now chin length and my grays are covered sufficiently to placate my mother. I swear she's more vain about my hair than I am. I think she feels guilty about my being prematurely gray, which she shouldn't. I kinda like black hair shot with silver. I only don't like the wiry, brittleness of gray hair. However, if Mom will stop pestering, I'll let her dye it. As for other hair stuff, I can't find a decent quality clear hair clip or black hair bands, will try again tomorrow. And as my hair is short enough to wear down, I might need to invest in a hairdryer that works.

As for the rest of my trip, buses are fucking cold during the summer. They seriously over compensate and I need a travel blanket. I've been thinking this for a while, but now that I have unexpected travel looming, it needs to happen sooner. And a travel pillow would be nice as well.

Ugh, a conversation with Mom and Em this evening reminded why I don't come home much anymore. I knew Kathy Hawkins was hosting a bridal shower for Greer and that I was expected to be there. However, it's July 25th and this is the first I've heard of it, no invitation yet. Where things got ugly wwas the fact that since Kathy's hosting, it will be at a nice venue, which means new clothes, as I've lost weight recently. However, Mom wanted to go shopping this weekend instead of giving me money and letting me shop. When I mentioned shopping with Rachel or Sara, Mom said Sara dresses like a slut and she'd probably think the same of Rachel. Also, when I stated that I probably had pants that fit better than any of my skirts, she stated that I shouldn't be acting like a lesbian who refuses to wear pants. WTF? I never said I wouldn't wear a skirt, just that I might need a new one. And then she said something about the rehearsal dinner which I know damn good and well I'll need a new outfit for, but that's October, not late July. Plus, the outfit she suggested I wear this same group saw me in at a wake a year ago last October, so that makes me hesitant to wear it. Add to this that she's not going because it's too far to drive for one day and I'm a bit pissed. I'll have to get a bus to Macon or Atlanta and then rendezvous with Katherine or Em just to get to this event, possibly traveling the night before, and Mom's already worried about how I'll look? She should be glad that I feel compelled to be there at all.

Blog Roll Topic: What's the farthest you have traveled for food? Did you fly across the country just so you could have the perfect bowl of clam chowder? Did you cross the state line just for a scoop of ice cream? What was it, how far did you travel, and was it worth it?

As a kid, the answer was driving from Augusta, GA to Columbia, SC for either Fuddrucker's or California Dreaming. Fuddrucker's was usually attached to a zoo trip or on the way to Charleston for the beach, but always worth is. Their chicken club with honey mustard is fabulous. As far as there and back, that would be California Dreaming, honey butter croissants and Club salad or chicken fingers, depending on my age at the time of the trip. That was always good, but became unnecessary when a California Dreaming opened in Augusta. However, Fudd's on the way to Charleston is still a must.

Lately though, a day trip to New Orleans on my last trip to Mobile, at Mom's bday/Mother's Day. Too many episodes of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives led to roast beef and shrimp po'boys at Parasol's (Em's idea and I loved her for it) as well as red velvet cake and honey lavender plus four other flavors (including cracked pepper and corn, bad idea Emily) at the Creole Creamery (my choice). I'm yet to have bad food in New Orleans and still have several places on the must-visit list, Camelia's and Mother's first and foremost. Next trip hopefully. So yeah, I've done lots of traveling for food, but no flying for food...yet.

My sleep is so screwy that my medicine doses are completely off some days, with night doses happening at 6 or 8am, sometimes later. Anyway, after almost seven months of no seizures, life caught up with me. Two doses of Valium in 24 hours and no missed doses recently, and I still had a partial seizure at 4am and a full seizure at 3:45pm, while packing to leave town. Needless to say, leaving town is on hold, as I have no desire to be on a bus tonight. Will go to Mobile tomorrow during the day, contemplating the 7am bus due to the screwy circadian rhythm and the desire to not be in a packed bus station on a national holiday. So anyway, eyebrows and haircut are on hold. Sigh.

Ok, so the earring from Hell had to be broken to be removed. This required assistance and since Sara spent the weekend on my couch, she was nominated. Having needle-nosed pliers anywhere near your ear isn't a good thing, but it was worth it to have the earring out. Shopping yesterday yielded new earring backs that Tyler gets blamed for if they get stuck, as he told me they're what he uses. It'll be a couple of days before I put in the earrings I turned my closet inside out to find. I figure the current weather and my AI obsession make lightning bolt earrings make sense. Plus they are large enough to not cause pain if the backs get stuck. Wonder what the parental units will think.

I think I jinxed myself with my happy thesis update. Friday the shit hit the fan, to put it mildly. I am now not graduating until Fall. I thought I had a committee in place, but I learned I didn't after I did as Dr. Gray suggested and sent my chapters to the committee members I thought I had. Turns out only Dr. Gray had signed my Program of Study. McMahon returned it unsigned after we exchanged e-mails and the advisers never talked to Creswell. Fortunately, Creswell was understanding when we met today. I told him that Gray never explained committee procedure to me that I'd relied on Anne and Chris for that. He explained procedure and I set in motion the graduating in Fall e-mails, such as canceling Summer graduation. Now I need to find a lease for Fall. On the upside, I know where I'll be for wedding event commutes and football season.

Also involved were two conversations with Daddy, which I felt bad about right before Father's Day. Friday, I called him crying because my thesis defense had fallen apart and I'd gotten a rejection e-mail for a job I really wanted. He didn't understand the pressure I've been feeling since being jobless since January. Especially since my power, phone, and internet have been cut off at different times and I feel guilty about not being able to pay for any of that. He told me I'd have to commute from Mobile for my defense, which made things worse. Saturday, he called me and apologized, saying that Emily had been given a grace period to find a job, and I would to, so I'm here until December with his blessing. He does want me to finish my thesis this summer though, so I can job search in the Fall, which I can do.

So, the thesis chapter from Hell is done and now I have to write an introduction, conclusion, abstract and acknowledgements. Of course, when I ask Dr. Gray for advice, he tells me to read other theses instead of saying these are the parts and here is the length. This led to searching through recent History department theses looking for classmates whom I didn't think would mind if I contacted them with questions. I found two completely opposite ones without trying. One was way long and had a chapter outline to die for while the other was very brief with a good historiography section. This gives me an idea of what I'm supposed to do. However, there was one catch. The library computers have MS Word 2007, on which I cannot figure out how to create an outline. That's tonight's plan, as I'll need something to focus on before I write this time.

Ugh, fan base wars and internet censorship don't mix. I never thought I'd join ONTD or any of its spinoffs, but I did tonight, to save my sanity. I hate when people want to make boards all happiness and light when that it's reality.

Ok, now that a victory parade will indeed take place, it's time to acknowledge the Lakers having won the NBA Finals. My prediction was wrong, and as such the celebration was in Orlando, not LA, but I'm just glad a victory happened. However, having home court advantage restored right before the Finals helped. Without home court, the series would've been a nightmare, as it was the first Finals ever with two overtime games. And only two games that weren't rapidly adding to my gray hair. I hate close games, especially NBA games. However, the Lakers blowouts were split by three close games. It was worth it though to redeem the Finals debacle from last year, and give the Lakers their first title since Shaq left.

I was thrilled for Kobe to finally be able to lay claim to a title without Shaq, even though I'd have preferred it happened last year. However, it may have taken the Olympics last year to really make him a leader and not just a star player. Earning the respect of a group of All-Stars isn't easy, especially with the expectations of gold as high as they were. He did it though and then won the gold medal game after the team tried to give it away. He was as happy Sunday night after this title as he was after that game in Beijing. And after an MVP, gold medal, and a NBA title, Kobe is finally the face of the league. A day I never thought I'd see six summers ago when rape charges almost ruined his career. And as someone who defended him when the court of public opinion thought me foolish, this title means more than the first three because I wondered if it would ever happen.

Ok, I have a painful problem that I can't solve. When my second holes were pierced, they weren't mall piercing gun size. However, I've had standard studs in them for the last eight years. The back of the hole has shrunk, but the front hasn't. I now have an earring in one of these holes that the back won't come off of and I can't tell why. The earring in the hole is getting stuck in the front of the hole and causing pain while I try to pull the back off. Any ideas on how to remedy this?

Demos
Adam Lambert - Crazy
Adam Lambert - Crawl Thru Fire
Adam Lambert - Glamorize
Adam Lambert - I Got This
Adam Lambert - Kiss and Tell
Adam Lambert – Kiss and Tell (Fonzerelli Radio Edit)
Adam Lambert – Pop Goes The Camera
Adam Lambert – Pop Goes The Camera (Fonzerelli Club Mix)

Other Finds
Adam Lambert – Come Home
Adam Lambert – I Just Love You
Adam Lambert – Kiss From A Rose
Adam Lambert – What’s Up
Adam Lambert (Ten Commandments) – Is Anybody Listening
Adam Lambert (Citizen Vein) – Rough Trade
Adam Lambert (Citizen Vein) – Turning On

Adam Lambert - Black or White
Adam Lambert - Ring of Fire
Adam Lambert - Tracks of My Tears
Adam Lambert - Play That Funky Music
Adam Lambert - Mad World
Adam Lambert - Born to Be Wild
Adam Lambert - If I Can't Have You
Adam Lambert - Feeling Good
Adam Lambert - Whole Lotta Love
Adam Lambert - One
Adam Lambert - Cryin'
Adam Lambert - A Change Is Gonna Come
Adam Lambert - No Boundaries

Bonus
Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta - Slow Ride (Studio)
Adam Lambert - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Live)

( I managed to get it out without crying )

My thesis is becoming a pain in the ass. I finally figured out a way to write my final section of the body of my chapter. I found four Sioux/Sue Bee Honey ads plus an article. However, only two of those ads are available in Tallahassee. Two of them I'll have to write the dissertation author and ask her if she can tell me where she got them, or if she can send me scans. Add to this the fact that the library actually closed for a holiday (they are open on my birthday and MLK), and I've gotten nothing done in a while. I did get the subbasement holdings I need and information that one of the requests is in the stacks. *headdesk* Anyway, at this point, I'm just ready to be done with this chapter. However, my need to rejoin Friends of the Library to avoid more fines and regain database access is also a snag. As is the fact that motivation is seriously lacking.

As for my being a horrid sports blogger of late, it's not June 1st, so baseball doesn't matter yet (the season's too damn long). And the Lakers are trying their damnedest to not get to the Finals. They beat the Jazz in five, but then went the full seven with the Rockets. They are now up 2-1 on the Nuggets, but all three games were anyone's to win, and while I know that's how most of the world enjoys basketball, there is a reason I enjoy blowouts. However, I've gotten a little solace from the fact that the Cavaliers who ripped through the first two rounds without a loss are now down 2-1 and were it not for a damn good shot by LeBron, they'd be facing elimination tomorrow. He hit a three at the buzzer to win Game 2 after I'd called Daddy to tell him that the Cavaliers had essentially lost. So, anyway, Lakers Game 4 tonight, here's hoping for smoother sailing.

As for American Idol, well let's just say that I'm not quite ready for a full post-mortem yet. However, hearing Adam Lambert's version of the winner's single on the radio this morning helped immensely.

Ok, so, American Idol? Yeah, I'm head-over-heels involved in Adam Lambert fandom. Honestly didn't know how deep until last week when I woke up late and freaked out because I missed his interview with his hometown Fox affiliate. I then listened to his radio interviews before enduring the confusion of the two song texts from Simon. Damn you Simon for not getting clearance for "One" until Saturday. Spent the entire weekend home thinking Idol and filled my Dad in on his Father's Day gift, Adam's studio versions from iTunes, which I know my dad would love, but is too cheap to buy. Then got irritated when I couldn't find the Entertainment Weekly with Adam on the cover, even though I've seen the scans of the article. Currently bidding on it on EBay. As for this week's results, I'm happy with an Adam and Kris finale, it'll be special regardless of the victor. And while I wasn't enamored of Kris as an artist prior to this week, his studio versions of "Apologize" and "Heartless" were good. As for Adam, taking on U2 and Aerosmith in one week is dangerous, unless you're him. I didn't love either performance, but that was due to an unnecessary high note in "One" and a technical glitch in "Cryin'", as the studio versions were fabulous. I can't wait to see what we get for the finale.

( More AI awesomeness with pictures )

I still have three section of my last thesis chapter to finish, but I can't summon the energy to write. Not to mention that I'm a little nervous about taking my laptop across campus again after my fall. However, I can't focus here. It's too hot and anything that's not Native American advertising is more compelling. Add to this my lack of a deadline or enough source material to not have to stretch it an impossible amount and I'm not sure how I'll finish by tomorrow, my self-imposed deadline. I need to reread articles and scrounge together at least two and a half pages on why Native Americans are overlooked in advertising. Argh.

Also, I thought going to Mobile and New Orleans this past weekend would help, but being around my parents only made things worse. They don't understand my difficulties with this chapter. And not having any gift ideas for Mom's birthday/Mother's Day made things worse. She ended up just getting a birthday cake, a rum cake made from scratch. And I got Daddy to make pina colodas, so we all won. Her birthday dinner was homemade barbecue, which was fabulous. As for why New Orleans in such a short trip? That's because Katherine and Patrick were in town and Patrick had a meeting at the University of New Orleans, where he's been accepted into grad school. He wanted to talk to the professors, figure out some logistics before deciding whether to go. He seemed thrilled, but whether Greer will agree is anyone's guess. Anyway, this meant window shopping in the French Quarter and lunch in the Garden District at a "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" spot with fabulous roast beef po'boys. Later we got ice cream at another place from the show, which was equally yummy (lavender honey was fab). Then we drove Patrick to the airport before heading back to Mobile. And I decided that night that spending eight hours on a bus on Tuesday was worth it to get to watch Idol in peace. More on that to follow.

Ok, so I get my new Internet links on my flash drive and my iPod updated, check for my books and ID and charge my phone a little. I head out for the library and trip on the sidewalk. My backpack flipped over my head and I skinned the bottom of my big toe and my left knee as well as several other place, but didn't damage my watch (yay!). Had to stop in the Diffenbaugh bathroom (after noticing the blood on my Rainbows) on my way back to put a band aid on my toe, which of course was too small. Got back and finished cleaning up, but walking all over campus isn't gonna happen. *sigh* Will have to hope the laptop isn't damaged. Gonna check that next (typing on crash prone desktop). Ugh.

I really should be sleeping, but my mind is running a mile a minute after Idol tonight. After last week's drama I wanted a kick ass performance from Adam that would leave no doubt about the rightful order of things. And boy did he deliver! First time a Led Zeppelin song's ever been cleared for performance and it was "Whole Lotta Love", which was in Paula's words a whole lotta perfect and Kara called him a Rock God. I concur. He was hot and the vocal was perfect, and the lack of glory notes should please those that hate his outrageous range. However, I now realize why they've never had him open the show, it's because no one can touch him. However, courtesy of the newly-added contestant duets (because they can't do eight songs in an hour after the Mad World fiasco), he also closed the show doing "Slow Ride" with Allison, which was awesome and adorable. They really enjoyed themselves and shared an amazing hug at the end. When Simon told Adam that performance might've saved Allison, he said he hoped so because she's like his little sister. Awww! I hope so too, as they are who I want to hear duet again on finale night. Unfortunately, it also reminded me how badly I wish I could go to the tour, but the total of southern dates is about five, and the Atlanta one is right when I'll be moving out, maybe.

As for the never ending thesis, I turned in one chapter, but still have another to finish before I go to Mobile for Mother's Day and Mom's birthday, which are the same day this year. I had to scramble for information for my last chapter because playing needle in a haystack with magazine ads got old and the dissertation I requested never showed. I now have a plan though, as I found several ads online for a now-defunct railway mentioned in one of my source books. That plus the Calumet section and a section on why American Indians are ignored in advertising should be enough for 15-20 pages. So yay for my chapter regaining some structure. Should've done this chapter first, as I knew it would be hard, but oh well. Still have introduction and conclusion to write before I can defend. However, the end is in sight.

How does a performance like this land anyone in the bottom 2? Were they trying to punish him for correctly choosing the safe group?

Okay, now that I feel human again, I'll explain why typing a thesis is difficult. I tried my best to get everything packed up before I left this morning to go visit Dr. Jones. I wanted to give him one of the Spectator's Guides I had from the Masters. However, his office hours are ungodly early. Who wants to be social/helpful to students at 8:30am? It was worth it though. I miss him badly, should've taken some of his classes as a graduate student, but I digress. So anyway, after my house guest/temporary boarder, Sara's aunt (Melissa) who's staying with me while she finds an apartment here) left at 7:30, I got ready to go for the day. Or so I thought... Turns out that no caffeine and no wireless card makes writing a thesis a little difficult. I got a page and a half written and more read before I came home and crashed. Not being able to write the section I'd planned threw me for a loop plus I didn't have the newspaper articles, though they are few, for the section I was writing. Plus, let's face it, I'm worthless that early. I shouldn't have gotten up except that I was expecting maintenance, and they always feel guilty when they encounter me in my pajamas. I did finally get some decent sleep though. Now, if only I can get American Idol out of my head long enough to write. Might need to bring headphones tomorrow as well.